Prepare to enter a world where sound, art, and nature become one in the hands of Cheryl E. Leonard, a San Francisco-based composer, performer, and instrument builder. Cheryl’s unique approach involves creating musical instruments from materials like stones, ice, and water, collected from nature. In this episode, she shares how her experiences in remote locales, especially Antarctica, inspire her compositions and help reimagine our connection with the environment.
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Cheryl E. Leonard is a San Francisco-based composer, performer, field recordist, and instrument builder celebrated for her innovative work in sound art. Drawing on a profound engagement with the natural world, Leonard crafts her compositions using materials such as stones, wood, water, ice, sand, shells, feathers, and bones, often collected from remote environments including Antarctica and the Arctic. Her music not only delves into the sonic intricacies of these materials but also addresses pressing environmental issues like climate change and species extinction.
Leonard’s work has resonated on international stages across the Americas, Europe, Japan, and Australasia, and her recordings have been released under esteemed labels such as Other Minds, Mappa, and SubPop. An active participant in the academic discourse on music and sound art, her projects have been featured in documentaries like Tim Perkis’s Noisy People and on television programs such as KQED TV’s Spark.
A recipient of numerous grants and residencies, Leonard has been supported by organizations like the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers Program and New Music USA. Her commissions include pieces for the Kronos Quartet and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among others. Her installations, instruments, recordings, and graphic scores have been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide.
Besides her solo projects, Leonard is deeply collaborative, working across disciplines with scientists, visual artists, and poets, and is a member of ensembles such as Euphotic and the Oakland Reductionist Orchestra. Her current efforts include contributing to a sound map of Point Reyes National Seashore.
Beyond her artistic endeavors, Leonard is an avid practitioner and teacher of Aikido, and her personal interests include backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, and backcountry skiing. She also collects spherical stones and pinecones with handles, reflecting her deep connection to the textures and forms of the natural world.
After the November 2nd concert, I’ve finally had a chance to decompress—not only from the performance itself but also from the intensive preparation leading up to it and the lingering disappointment of the election. This concert required an enormous amount of effort, not just as a composer and performer but also in my role as an organizer. From hiring musicians to managing promotions and creating the program, I wore many hats in making this event happen. Thankfully, my wife took on the box office and concessions, but there were plenty of hurdles to overcome along the way, especially with personnel changes and last-minute adjustments.
Personnel Hurdles and Replacements
The concert prep began months ago, and the challenges started early. Through a Facebook post, I discovered that our regular violinist—who also coordinated our venue—had accepted a gig in Nicaragua as a featured soloist. It was a wonderful opportunity for him, but it left us scrambling to find a replacement and manage the venue logistics. While he assured us that the venue was secured and even covered the deposit, finding an excellent replacement violinist took longer than expected, only coming through as we were about to distribute parts.
Soon after, I discovered that our usual trombonist was unavailable. I spent considerable time searching for a substitute, and while I initially found someone, he quickly became unresponsive. Back on the hunt, I reached out to another contact, who finally introduced me to a reliable trombonist—but this was already a week after the parts had been sent out.
Just as I thought things were stabilizing, I received word from our trumpet player that he required surgery and would be unable to perform. With only a week until the first rehearsal, I scrambled to find substitutes. The list of possible subs he provided was booked solid, and after some intense searching, I found a replacement. However, this left the player with very little time to prepare.
Venue Complications and Scheduling Woes
Amidst these personnel changes, we also encountered unexpected complications with the venue. One of our members who lives nearby agreed to help manage the logistics, and as he worked with the venue, it became clear there were gaps in the scheduling. The original booking didn’t include enough time for loading equipment before the rehearsal start time, and it turned out that the venue had undercharged us in the initial quote. Resolving these issues ended up costing about 40% more than anticipated, though we were fortunate that the group’s fundraising efforts covered these extra costs.
This venue holds nostalgic value, as the SFCCO hasn’t performed here in 20 years. However, it’s in a busy part of town with limited parking. I arrived early to handle logistics, including setting up the PA system for my piece, which features a digital “tape” component. Adding to the pressure, several performers, including our conductor, were delayed due to traffic, so I took on conducting for the first part of the rehearsal to make the most of our time.
First rehearsals are always a bit rough, but this one was especially challenging. It was clear that several performers hadn’t reviewed their music in advance, which was particularly necessary given the complexity of the pieces on this program. We send parts out a month early to give performers time to familiarize themselves with the music and contact composers with any questions. Unfortunately, the lack of preparation among some players impacted the productivity of the rehearsal, and my own piece lost valuable rehearsal time.
Revisions and Adjustments Between Rehearsals
After the first rehearsal, it was evident that some pieces, including my own, needed adjustments. I revised several parts to make them more manageable based on feedback from the musicians. For example, I adjusted my own part in the fast-paced second movement to add more breathing space. I also noticed a copy-paste error in the bassoon and piano parts and corrected it.
The movement begins with pizzicato in the cello and bass, which players mentioned was difficult to perform with the bow in hand. There wasn’t enough time to set down the bow and pick it back up, so I explored ways to simplify their parts to accommodate this. Later, the bassist reached out, mentioning that some of the fast runs were challenging at the tempo. I initially thought using open strings would help, but ultimately decided to simplify the bass line to a single note and transferred the run to the cello part. After checking with the cellist, who confirmed it was playable, we went forward with this new version.
Cello & Bass OriginalCello & Bass Revised
To ensure a balanced dynamic between the digital tape and the live orchestra, I remixed the tape. This adjustment allowed for better alignment between the full orchestral sections and the recorded segments, which was crucial given that we didn’t have an extra person to adjust levels in real-time.
Last-Minute Substitutions and Concert Day Chaos
The day of the second rehearsal brought yet another surprise: an hour before our rehearsal I got an email that our oboist had fallen ill. Desperate for a replacement, I emailed his list of possible subs and began arranging a new version of my piece that would work without an oboe, just in case. None of the subs were available, so I turned to Facebook as a last resort. Thankfully, a local oboist saw my post and stepped in, agreeing to essentially sight-read the concert with just one rehearsal under his belt. I was immensely grateful that our new trumpet player vouched for him and encouraged him to join us on short notice.
On concert day, several other events in the area caused more logistical headaches. Despite a heads-up to the ensemble, some players still missed portions of the final rehearsal due to parking issues. With a lineup of challenging, newly composed pieces, having them under-rehearsed inevitably impacted the concert. Yet, the audience enjoyed the performance, and the composers were largely pleased with how their works came together under the circumstances.
My own piece held up well, aligning closely with the digital tape, though more rehearsal time would have helped. I’m looking forward to reviewing the concert recording and video to gain a fuller sense of how it all came together on stage.
Reflecting on the Experience
Every concert brings its own set of challenges, but this one seemed uniquely full of last-minute twists. Despite all the setbacks, I’m proud of what we accomplished. The concert came together against all odds, and I’m grateful for the dedication of everyone involved. Now that the performance is behind us, I’m finally ready to decompress and, perhaps soon, start thinking about new compositions again.
On this episode of Music from Humans, host Michael Cooke continues the conversation with Stephen Main, a multifaceted composer, conductor, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist. In this follow up to The Art of Music Improvisation, Stephen shares his thoughts on what composers should do to be came better composers.
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Threnody for Democracy: “What You Can Do,” premiered by the San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Orchestra (SFCCO) on November 2nd, 2024, is a cautionary tale that explores the fragility of the American experiment and the ease with which it can be led toward authoritarianism. It reflects on how fear and past failures have, at times, allowed segments of the population to be manipulated, disregarding warnings and succumbing to empty promises. In an era of heightened political division, I felt compelled to delve into the struggles democracy faces, layering historical voices into a composition that mourns but also empowers.
Musically, “Threnody for Democracy” is inspired by Steve Reich’s phase tape works, such as “Come Out” and “It’s Gonna Rain“, as well as his “Different Trains“. I consider this work a “concerto for digital tape,” with carefully chosen presidential quotes that span from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Joe Biden. These voices resonate with a mix of hope, disappoint and warning, illustrating moments of courage and caution. To select the quotes, I spent hours listening to archival speeches, allowing certain excerpts to emerge organically, while others appeared only after deep listening.
The structure of the work consists of an introduction, three main sections—“Resilient Nation,” “Confronting Our Shadows,” and “Dawn of Hope”—and a coda. Interwoven throughout are melodic references to Gregorian chants for requiems, subtly reinforcing the narrative.
“Resilient Nation” starts by examining the endurance of democratic ideals, while cautioning against the fear that can erode them. The segment includes “Fear” and “What You Can Do,” which highlights the need for individual action. Here, the music takes on a rhythmic urgency, with phasing and electronic effects underscoring democracy’s fragile structure.
“Confronting Our Shadows” delves into the darker side, reflecting on times of selfishness and division. A repeated refrain of “false” captures the cycle of deception that can threaten democratic values. Through discordant tones and shifting rhythms, I wanted to create a sense of discomfort, a reminder that democracy’s health requires constant vigilance.
The final section, “Dawn of Hope”, brings a message of optimism and the potential for rectification. It transitions from the darker tones of the previous sections with a reflective quote from Eisenhower, followed by uplifting contributions from Obama and Reagan. Musically, there is a recapitulation of earlier themes that ties the work together, musically embodying the capacity for change and improvement.
In Threnody for Democracy, I hope to encourage reflection and a renewed commitment to action. This piece is both a eulogy and a call to arms—a reminder that democracy is not a given, but something we must actively work to sustain.
Threnody for Democracy: "What You Can Do"
⚠ Content Warning: This content contains presidential quotes with explicit language & references to inappropriate behavior, which may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers.
For deeper insights into the inspiration behind Threnody for Democracy, feel free to explore my thoughts further on my blog.
List of Quotes (in order of appearance):
Trump: “I did try and fuck her, she was married, you know I’m automatically attracted the beautiful, I just start kissing them and when you’re Star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab ’em by the pussy.”
FDR: “… let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is — fear itself.”
Bush Jr.: “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the Foundation of America.”, “A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.”
JFK: “… and so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you ask — What you can do for your country.”
LBJ: “The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice,…”, “It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time.”
Clinton: “False”, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”, “I never told anyone to lie.”
Nixon: “… because people have got to know whether or not their present is a crook. Well I’m not a crook.”
Trump: “I need 11,000 votes, gimme a break.”, “I just want to find eleven thousand, seven hundred & eighty votes. Which is one more then we have.”, “I will totally accept the result of this great presidential election — If I win!”
Eisenhower: “The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.”
Trump: “When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.”, “Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful—there won’t be a transfer, frankly, there’ll be a continuation.”
Eisenhower: “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence…”, “…endanger our liberties or democratic processes.”
Obama: “We have seen is that America can change, that is the true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope. The audacity to hope, for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”
Reagan: “Tear down this wall.”
Biden: “We are a nation of promise and possibility”, “…power is in your hands.”
Trump: “…in four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”
Biden: “George Washington showed us Presidents are not kings.”, “… whether the Founders had given America a monarchy or a republic, Franklin’s response was, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.'”, “…kings and dictators do not rule.”
